Iceland's largest skyr producer, the dairy MS, starts producing Icelandic skyr in the US

Traditional Icelandic Skyr Manufactured for the US market by Iceland's largest dairy and skyr producer MS. Photo/MS

The Icelandic dairy Mjólkursamsalan (MS) has started the production of traditional Icelandic skyr for the US consumer market. The new Icelandic skyr, which is sold under the brand Icelandic provisions is made from milk produced at farms in upstate New York, but using traditional Icelandic techniques and skyr cultures.

A second manufacturer of Icelandic skyr, The Icelandic Milk and Skyr Corporation, has been producing and selling Icelandic skyr under the label "Siggi's Skyr" in the US since 2006. According to recent figures the company, which is owned by Icelander Sigurður Kjartan Hilmarsson, has captured 2% of the US yogurt market.

Supplying US consumers with Icelandic Skyr
Icelandic Provisions skyr has been available in the US since last year, when the company began exporting its product from Iceland to the US. By producing the skyr closer to consumers the company hopes it will be able to offer more competitive prices. Supplying the US market with imported skyr manufactured in Iceland would not be practical, the CEO of MS told the local news site Vísir. The production process is overseen by MS which also provided the methods and cultures of lactobacillus to start the production.

Last year Icelandic Provisions sold 500 tons of skyr in the US. The total domestic consumption in Iceland was 2,500-3,000 tons. The Icelandic Provisions skyr will be available in 3,300 stores, but MS hopes the number will double by the end of the year.